The Holo

By Mandi Hall

Jaina gave the underside of the X-wing a hard kick.
The hatch to the small cargo compartment creaked and
gave way, dropping open. Jaina pulled out the small
MSE-6 droid and switched it on. The "mouse" droid was
the same model as those found scurrying around
Imperial Star Destroyers. They can't do much more than
simple repairs, but Jaina kept it because it's
rodent-like qualities reminded her of Rocky, her pet
womprat.
"Okay, I want you to see what you can do about the
sensor window," Jaina spoke slowly to the droid. "You
know the components, right? The PA-9r and PG-7u?" She
knew mouse droids were able to follow simple, clear
directions, and she received a chirp reporting the
droid understood.
The droid scuttled off to attend to it's task and
Jaina climbed to the top of the craft to see if the R2
could give her a damage report.
"Well, you didn't seem to suffer too much," she
muttered as she manipulated the components to raise
the R2-unit. She looked at the ground and again wished
she had her TK powers. "I don't know how I'm gonna get
you dow-Hey!"
The craft shook as the pretentious mouse droid used
it's built in jack to lift one side of the X-wing. The
R2 let out a frantic beep and Jaina screamed as they
tumbled off the ship and onto the ground.
The MSE-6 droid, reacting to the noise in the
rodent-like fashion it was programmed to, nearly
jumped out of it's casing. It dropped the X-wing and
scampered off quickly into the jungle.
"Hey!" Jaina stood up, brushing herself off. "You
stupid rat! Get back here! You can't run off! It's not
fair! Ugh," Jaina dropped to her knees and pounded her
fists against the ground. She just couldn't take it
anymore.
Jaina closed her eyes and tried to calm down. 'Anger
leads to the Darkside...' Her eyes opened and she
frowned. What good do silly idioms do when there's no
Force? There's no Darkside to turn to. She sighed
heavily and turned the R2 upright. Slumping forward,
Jaina tried to relax.
"Solo," Jaina's head jerked up as she heard her name.
The R2 was projecting a fuzzy holo-recording of
Chilton Jox.
"You're a smart girl, so I'm sure you've figured out
by now that I'm responsible for your current...
predicament." Jox smirked. "As you know, I don't like
playing sidekick. Not even to someone as... competent
as you. Now, with you out of the way, I'm the head
honcho."
Jaina stared at the holo. 'Did someone forget to tell
him that this was a /suicide/ mission?' she wondered.
'His silly dramatics are going to get him killed.'
"No offense to you, dear," he went on in his
patronizing tone that made Jaina cringe, "I just want
to take the glory on this one. Everyone will know the
name of Chilton Jox. And you, Miss Solo, will be court
marshaled for going AWOL. Tsk tsk. What will Daddy
think? People will shake their heads and say 'That's
why they shouldn't let females join the military.'"
Jaina glared at the hologram, fists clenched and lips
pursed angrily.
"Oh, don't worry. I'll send an anonymous transmission
letting people know you crash-landed somewhere on
Tatooine. A search party should find you before you
die of thirst. Perhaps even me-I would be a hero." He
chuckled.
Jaina frowned. "But...this isn't Tatooine," she
murmured. "He must've gotten the co-ords wrong.."
"Oh, and don't bother trying to report me for this. By
the time they find you, they'll think you're Suns
Crazy. Your word won't have any more weight than that
ridiculous rat droid you carry around. And you'll have
no evidence, because this holo is programmed to
self-destruct."
Jaina rolled her eyes. "You've been watching too many
old spy movies." The message fizzled away and Jaina
was left in silence.